Last updated on February 17th, 2019 at 09:49 pm
In the early 1920s, the United States built three prototype medium tanks.
These were the Medium A, which was built in 1921, the Medium A2, which was built in 1922 and the T1, which was built in 1925.
The T1 medium tank, which weighed almost 20 tons, had either a 2.24 inch (57mm) main gun or a 2.95 inch (75mm) main gun, as well as two 0.3 inch (7.62mm) machine guns.
The final model of the T1 series was the T1E2, which had a 2.24 inch gun.
When the T2 medium tank was built, its weight had to be reduced drastically because the US War Department had set a maximum weight of 15 tons. The T2 weighed only 14 tons when it was combat loaded. The earliest models of the T2 had a 1.85 inch (47mm) semi-automatic gun and a 0.5 inch (12.7mm) machine gun in the hull.
There were also a 1.46 inch (37mm) machine gun and a 0.3 inch (7.62mm) machine gun at the front of the hull on the right. These were later replaced by one 0.3 inch (7.62mm) machine gun.
The design of the T2 was based on that of Britain’s Vickers Medium Mark II.
Later on, the Americans built three more prototypes of medium tanks, all of which were based on designs by Walter Christie. These were the T3, the T3E2 and the T4.
 |
T1 Medium |
|---|---|
| Active: | 1925 |
| Crew: | 4 |
| Weight: | 19.6 tons (19,912kg) |
| Length: | 21ft 6in (6.55m) |
| Height: | 9ft 5.5in (2.88m) |
| Width: | 8ft (2.44m) |
| Weapons: | Main – 2.24in (57 mm) or 2.95in (75mm) gun, Secondary – 2 x 0.3 inch (7.62mm) machineguns |
| Armor | Maximum – 0.37in (9.5mm) |
| Engine: | Liberty V12 gasoline, 338hp |
| Speed: | 14mph (22.5kph) |
| Range: | 35 miles (56 km) |